Showerheads are generally connected to a source of water supply by a ball and socket connection or universal joint. The ball, in a conventional installation, is fixed to the end of a water supply pipe, projecting outwardly of a wall in a bathtub or shower enclosure.
This invention is of an adapter to be connected in fluid flow relation between the water supply pipe and the showerhead and which includes a valve means for selectively opening and closing the flow path through the adapter and hence the water supply from the showerhead.
The instant invention includes a ball and socket type valve means of the type described hereinafter and an elongate operator whereby the relative movement for opening and closing the valve means may be achieved by manipulation of the terminal end of the elongate operator which is conveniently located.
Generally, individual hot and cold faucets or a single lever type of faucet is connected to hot and cold water conduits from a source of supply. The faucet or faucets must be manipulated to a proper hot and cold water mixture to achieve a desired water temperature. The mixed water then enters a single conduit to the showerhead where it passes through a discharge port in the connector ball and then outwardly in a spray form through anyone of a variety of spray structures depending upon the maker of the spray head.
To adjust the direction of spray, a user must physically grasp any of the single or multiple outlet spray heads provided with the above-described ball and socket connections and turn it to a desired position. If a user desires to shut off the water supply while "soaping up" or shampooing his or her hair, the faucet or faucets must be turned off and then turned on and readjusted to a desired hot and cold water mixture for the rinsing-off operation. Since this is an uncomfortable and time-consuming operation, it is rarely done, with attendant waste of water and heat energy. Particularly in relatively small bathtubs and shower enclosures, generally provided in most bathrooms, it is very difficult to evade the shower spray while soaping-up or shampooing the hair.
The device of the present invention provides an elongate handle, generally in the form of a rod, with a protective ball on the extended end, in an integral or fixed relation to the adapter to permit a user to universally position the showerhead within predetermined limits. The socket of the ball and socket connection is formed in a manner so as to provide a shut-off valving means when the adapter by means of the extended handle is moved to a peripheral limit position. This is accomplished without upsetting the hot and cold water mixture, and a user need only to push the handle to a movement limit position to shut the water off, and to move the showerhead back to a normal in-use position to turn the water on. The faucet or faucets need no further manipulations and, if desired, a user or users need never operate the faucet or faucets to off positions. The water flow may be shut off by means of the adapter and in each subsequent use, the adapter may be manipuated to an "on" position and immediately provide water of a desired temperature.
Therefore, one of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a generally downwardly extending handle means in the form of an elongated extension from the adapter to universally manipulate or position the showerhead within a limited, predetermined range of movement.
Another principal object of this invention is to provide valve means in the adapter, operable by said handle means, to shut off the flow of water therethrough when the adapter is moved to a peripheral zone in said range of movement and to turn on the flow of water when said adapter is moved to any position within a central zone of the movement range, the entire range of movement defining a generally circular pattern.
Another object of the invention is to provide the valve means completely independent of the faucet or faucets controlling the flow of hot and cold water from sources of supply.
A further object of the invention is to provide a protective ball on the extended end of the handle.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide hook means along the length of the handle.